Protecting skin from radiation damage using sulphated sugars

Abstract

Use of a sulphated saccharide or a salt or complex thereof for the preparation of a medicament for topical application to the skin or to any non-gastrointestinal, non-oral mucosal surface of an animal or a human, including the lining of body cavities, or for injection into tissue, including joints, or implantation into surgical wounds or a body cavity of an animal or a human, for the prophylaxis or treatment of any manifestation of inflammation or infection, for the prophylaxis or treatment of non-bladder premalignant or malignant disorders, for the prophylaxis or treatment of irritation or burns of the skin, connective tissue, or non-oral mucosa, or for the prophylaxis or treatment of skin, connective tissue, or mucosal aging, or for the preparation of a medicament for systemic injection for the treatment or prophylaxis of infectious, malignant or allergic/immune disorders. The sulphated saccharide, e.g. sucrose octasulphate, may be in the form of a complex or a salt with an alkali or alkaline earth metal (e.g. Na, K, Ca, Mg or Ba) or Al, Zn, Cu, Zr, Ti, Bi, Mn or Os, or an organic base (e.g. an amino acid). The medicament may be a powder, paste, ointment, lotion, gel, cream, salve, emulsion, solution, suspension, spray, sponge, strip, plaster, pad, dressing or ostomy plate.

We claim: 
     
       1. A pharmaceutically acceptable method for protecting skin from damage caused by exposure to ultraviolet light, the method comprising topically applying to the skin, before, during or after said exposure, a prophylactically or therapeutically effective amount of a composition comprising at least one compound selected from the group consisting of (a) a sulfated monosaccharide, (b) a sulfated disaccharide, and (c) a salt or complex of (a) or (b) above. 
     
     
       2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the saccharide is a monosaccharide selected from the group consisting of xylose, fructose and glucose. 
     
     
       3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the saccharide is a disaccharide selected from the group consisting of sucrose, lactose, maltose and cellobiose. 
     
     
       4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the sulphated mono- or disaccharide is combined with a non-sulphated polysaccharide. 
     
     
       5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the mono- or disaccharide is a polysulphated mono- or disaccharide. 
     
     
       6. The method according to claim 5 wherein the polysulphated saccharide is sucrose octasulfate. 
     
     
       7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the substance with which the sulphated mono- or disaccharide is complexed or with which it forms a salt is an alkali or alkaline earth metal or Al, Zn, Cu, Zr, Ti, Bi, Mn or Os, or is an organic base. 
     
     
       8. The method according to claim 6 wherein the polysulphated saccharide is the potassium or sodium salt of sucrose octasulphate. 
     
     
       9. The method according to claim 6 wherein the composition comprising sucrose octasulfate further comprises one or more ingredients selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium, aluminum, magnesium and calcium salts of an anion selected from the group consisting of chloride, carbonate, bicarbonate, citrate, gluconate, lactate, acetate, gluceptate and tartrate. 
     
     
       10. The method according to claim 6 wherein the polysulphated saccharide is the aluminum complex of sucrose octasulphate. 
     
     
       11. The method of claim 1 in which a prophylactically effective amount is applied to the skin, prior to said exposure, in order to reduce the erythema which would otherwise result from such exposure. 
     
     
       12. A pharmaceutically acceptable method for protecting skin from damage caused by exposure to ionizing radiation, the method comprising topically applying to the skin, before, during or after said exposure, a prophylactically or therapeutically effective amount of a composition comprising at least one compound selected from the group consisting of (a) a sulfated monosaccharide, (b) a sulfated disaccharide, and (c) a salt or complex of (a) or (b) above. 
     
     
       13. The method of claim 12 in which the compound is a sulfated monosaccharide, or a salt or complex thereof. 
     
     
       14. The method of claim 12 in which the compound is a sulfated disaccharide, or a salt or complex thereof.